The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-11-15
CRIMES AND CRIMINALS
An Exciting Scene in the Tenn
eSsee Penitentlary.
TOM VOOLFOLK INTERVIEWED.

bliss.
YES, 7 am somewhat feshier, but suffering
a little from cold.'
How did you fare in Atlanta?"
well there"
IF it's a fair question, what do you think of
your approaching trial?"
- feel like if get justice, will come out
al right All ask is fair trial, and l feel
like the Good Lord will be with me-"
"That is what everybody desires, Tom, is to
give you justice"
Yes, and if they do, I will come clear.
believe there are good people as well as bad
ones, in Macon, and l hope for a fair, honest
tIlat. Whoever says that / killed my parents,
tells ID lie. l never harmed man, woman
or child in my life, much less murdered any
body; have always tried to live right"
There are some circumstances connected
with the matter that will have to be cleared
up"
eyes, know that, But I do not fear them
that have power over the body, and have made
peace with my Maker, and trust in Him. L
have been Wrongfully treated and have stuff
cred much l am still suffering for crime of
which | am not guilty, many men have stuff
cred i'll the same manner"
"But, You know, Tom, that when all the
family were murdered you were all the one
that escaped, and you went back there after
wards to see if they were dead"
Chat is true, and had | not have jumped
out OF the house aud run | would have been
murdered as they were. I could not realize
that they We're dead until L Went back, and
that is Why L went back"
tom. do you suspect anybody at all of COM
hitting the crime %
NO suspect nobody. How could !, when
/ saw no one. ! know this much: Threats
were made against my father, and against
smith, too for my father told me so. l know
when my father went and got his sawmill, he
went with armed assistance, as he afterwards
told me. Mind you, | accuse no one. l only
know of these threats, as father afterwards
told me,and [ know that that man met me and
asked where father was, and told him it was
not necessary TO see father, as had the notes
and he could settle with me. But L accuse no
one, because l saw no one"
81 have heard something of this. If your
innocence can be established it will be source
OF consolation to all the community out there;
but you know the story as you told it to me
that morning. All that will have to be cleared
up"
~ have known, for some time" answered
the prisoner, his eyes flashing and his face
filled with passion, chat you were against
me, and l have heard what you have said on
several occasions. l know no more about that
killing than you did. But if they punish me,
/ am man enough TO stand all they can put
on me- | have heard that one man said he
would kin me on sight. / reckon he would
like to see me i'll chains here now, to get an
opportunity"
''But, Tom. you know that prevented them
from killing you there. Had it not been for
my counsel they would have hung you at
once'
"Well, 7 didn't care then. You all might
have taken that same ak and knocked me in
the head with it. My people were all dead;
what did want to live for? Then everybody
pitched right on to me because / was the only
one left. Had it been my father preserved, in
stead OF me, they would have had him in chains
here today, in the same way" As he spoke the
prisoners frame fairly quivered with excite
lnent, and his eye cleaned with anger, as the
conversation grew more pointed, until he re-
marked:
at is an unpleasant subject to me land if you
will excuse me, we will change the conversa-
ton
Certainly; I do not wish to press it, Tom,
but just wish to say that everybody wants to
see you have fair trial, and if you are inno-
cent. no man wants to see it proven more
than l."
THAT win all be explained in the court
house. L know you are against me, and am
in prison. but when / regain my freedom will
give you or any other man all the satisfaction
he wants"
Jailer Birdsong here interposcd, and the
party were asked to retire. In the office I'M
deneath could be heard the clanll of Wool
folks chain as he strobe backward and for
ward in his cell overhead, still laboring under
the excitement OF the interview.
1t is the first time he has seen man from
that neighborhood, and he exhibited more pas
sion than he has eyinced before His face,
when lighted up with the fires of passion, has
a terrible expression, much different from his
ordinary stolid and impressive look, and his
eye fairly flashes ire as he becomes more and
more wrought up.
MACON. Ga, November S-[Special j
John c. Rutherford win represent Voolfolk
ii his fees are secured. Colonel Rutherford
states he was absent from the state when the
killing occurred. but that i'll a short interview
with Voolfolk Inc was impressed with the fact
that he could not have made the statement I'M
less lie was an innocent man. In this state
ment he accounts for every suspicious crcum-
stance against him and shows very clearly
that he himself would have been killed had
not his brother been aroused before he was.
His brother entered his fathers room just be-
fore he did, and as his brother
entered he was knocked down, then Tom ran
and jumped out Of the window and gave the
alarm. He met a negro soon after he jumped
and tried to get him to return with him and
render assistance and while talking with the
negro both heard blows and screams in the
house. a short while afterwards they heard
voices in the house and saw several parties
leave. The clothes found III the well were his
brothers clothes and the washerwoman viii
so swear. The tracks in the blood were bare
foot tracks and were made by Tom
and he so stated that night, and
after some Of the neigAbors had arrived
he took bowl Of water and washed the blood
from his feet and hands in their presence. Col
Onel rutherford states ms lnlefNleW was q
short one. but he was impressed with the fact,
from a long experience as criminal lawyer,
that lie could not have made the statement in
the way and manner that he did had he been
guilty. Tom exhibited much indignation and
sorrow that the people should believe he had
killed his own father and those 50 nearly and
dearly related to him.
MACON, Ga, November O. Especial. Mrs
Tom Voolfolk and her parents Mr.. and Mrs.
Thomas Bird, were in town today. Mr.. Bird
paid a visit to Tom and they stood and talked
quite pleasantly for some time together, hold
ing each other by the baud. Tom said he did
not care to see bis wife,
Mrs. Voolfolk has recently received four
letters from Tom, relating his jail experiences,
and the strange dreams he has, in which he
sees his "dear old father as he expresses it,
An Exciting Scene In Tennessee's state
Prison.
NASHVILLE, Tenn, NoYeInbcr SIT has
just developed that there was trouble at the
state pententiary last night An alarm was
sounded from wing No.2, and when Ed Wells,
the doorltceper, and ". p. Taylor, one Of the
guards rushed into the wing they found eY-
erythng iu confusion.
Mr.. Washer, the night watchman. was
standing with o drawn weapon holding erllal
mutinOus colyicts at bay, while "a serious SIGHT
t.H f. ff|